Fig. 1. Structural and functional advantages of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) compared to other antisense oligonucleotides. (A) Chemical structures of different types of antisense oligonucleotides; (B) chemical structure of the PNA monomer; (C) cartoon representation of inhibiting gene expression by antisense PNAs by acting as a functional blockage for proteins like transcription/translation factors; advantages of PNAs as antisense oligonucleotides for their (D) high-affinity binding ability to target sequences due to neutral backbones, (E) serum stability due to pseudo-peptide nature of backbones, and (F) compatibility with solid phase peptide synthesis.
